


pull over. let me drive for a while

by Gone_by_dawn



Series: 100 ways to say... criminal minds [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Feels, Fluff, Happy Ending, I needed something warm when I wrote this so enjoy, Light Angst, Light-Hearted, M/M, Sappy, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, soft, this entire thing is just so feel-good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-10 22:02:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17434307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gone_by_dawn/pseuds/Gone_by_dawn
Summary: While on a case, Spencer notices that Derek is more antsy than usual. He decides not to say anything about... well not really.





	pull over. let me drive for a while

Spencer Reid was no stranger to tough cases. He tried so hard to keep his emotions in check while he was working a job, tried to distance reality by spouting out some statistic or number, but the fact was he just wasn't that great at it. Things always had a way of affecting him--a problem that didn't seem to exist for Hotch or Gideon. Hell, even Morgan could keep himself in check.

...Most of the time.

He wasn't going to lie, this case was especially brutal, for all parties involved. This man, this  _psychopath_ had been abducting children and--well actually it's better if he didn't get into it. Spencer had felt sick the entire week, and he could only imagine how Morgan was feeling. They'd caught the guy, in the end. The man was going to get life, at least, but it wasn't enough.

Reid looked over at Derek, noticed how his hands were gripping the steering wheel hard enough to turn white. He knew that the older man hadn't slept in at least two days, probably more. He'd insisted on driving so that Spencer would be able to sleep, but they both knew that wasn't going to happen. And if anyone needed rest, it was Morgan.

"Hey," Spencer said softly. His voice was quiet from disuse. " **Pull over. Let me drive for awhile**."

He saw Derek's hands grip the wheel tighter. "I'm fine," he said shortly, staring dead ahead at the road. 

Ried sighed.  _Of course_  Derek was fine. Derek was always fine. Derek didn't know how not to be fine. Especially when he wasn't. It drove Spencer up the wall sometimes, but it was also why Derek was his go-to friend to talk to, about anything. Sometimes he just wished he'd let him return the favor.

"I know," Reid mumbled. No, he didn't, but he understood. And Derek understood  _that_ , so it was kind of the same thing.

He watched as some of the tension eased out of the other man's shoulders. 

"But you know," Reid carried on, "I'm an excellent driver. I got my license when I was in college--did you know that I was like the only graduate who couldn't drive? Well me and this Asian woman, Jo, who at the time was pregnant. She was in one of my classes. It's funny,--"

"Reid, if I let you drive will you stop talking?"

He grinned. "Only if you let me stop for breakfast too. There's a pancake place in seven and a half miles..."

Derek groaned, but pulled off the road so that the kid could take over behind the wheel. He laughed a bit when he needed to adjust the seat, and then a bit more when, seven and a half miles later, they actually pulled into a diner for pancakes. Reid was adamant on driving to work from there too, and he honestly didn't have it in himself to argue.

They showed up five minutes late to the precinct, where everyone was busy getting everything wrapped up before their flight back home in an hour. If Morgan was being honest, he'd almost forgotten about the case. His brain was still stuck on Reid telling him to pull over--it really was the smallest things with that kid. 

"Sugar, you good?" Garcia asked, half a smirk on her lips. "You're smiling for no reason. Something you wanna share?"

**Author's Note:**

> okay guys so ima be real wit u, I do not one these prompts! they were inspired by [ perhaps my favorite prompt list ever ](http://p0ck3tf0x.tumblr.com/post/98502010026/one-hundred-ways-to-say-i-love-you) . 
> 
> Also, I wrote this series after watching the episode of glee after (spoiler alert!) Finn dies and I really needed something soft to read. for those of u who don't know me, I'm actually the Queen of Feel-Good (copyrighted ;)) and even though my writing could be better, I figured these would be a good thing to share. enjoy!! pls leave feedback


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